UKC

Talk me into buying a used VW Golf. Or out of it. Whichever you think right...

Factors I'm aware of:

--you pay a bit more for a VW, but they're more reliable and keep their value better than many other makes

--they're not especially expensive to fix

--they're good in snow (this matters!)

--they have plenty of poke (remember, I'm in mid-mid-life crisis)

--you can fit a couple of bikes in the back, with the seats down

--you can get skis in without putting a rack on, and without having to stay in one gear the whole time

Am I right? Am I wrong? You tell me. All I know right now is that I'm fed up of our Renault Espace, and so is the wife. It's too big and clumpy for her to drive, and it annoys me in lots of little ways (bad finish, false positives on the warning screen, badly designed drinks holders, autolock seatbelts that autolock much too easily, rubbish heating system, etc etc), and although we have four kids they're never all in the car at the same time these days, so we don't actually need a six-seater.

Comments welcomed. Just don't tell me to get a bloody Skoda

In reply to Tim Chappell:

another positive for you - you can drive it no-hands:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-25627273

In reply to Tim Chappell:

Anything will be better than a Renault...

As an aside, I saw a Shetland pony in the back of an Espace the other day.

In reply to Submit to Gravity:

Was it whinnying "Let me out! Let me out!"?

Just like my kids then.

In reply to Tim Chappell:

Not personally a fan of German cars (I find them rather boring) but my friend bought an old VW Polo (not quite the same I know) for £600 and it has served her well, save for needing a new clutch.

VWs are pretty reliable and the older models (over 10 years old) can be bought cheaply... and spare parts are cheap too.

In reply to Submit to Gravity:


So not quite anything is better!

In reply to Tim Chappell:

We have a Golf, actually it's quite an old Golf (Y reg, so '99 I think) and I have to say that it's the best car I've owned, and at 48 I've had a few.

In the three years that we've had it, it has sailed each MOT without so much as a broken bulb. Obviously there are the usual costs like tyres and exhaust etc. but it has never failed to start and still looks ok given its age.

Also it's very economical if you don't have a heavy foot, I'm surprised at how far I can get on a tank of juice.

So, it's a yes from me.

In reply to crayefish:



I think the worlds most boring car has to be the Audi A3, I don't know how they made such a boring car, it looks fine, it drives as well as a car can do, in fact you could be so bored in it that you could drive for hours and not remember a single thing about it, I haven't worked out what they did with this car yet.

In reply to Tim Chappell:

Just to be contrary... Whilst VW do make some very nice cars, I think they're trading on their reputation from the 80s when they were up against the likes of Austin Allegros and Morris Itals.

Times have moved on, and I personally don't think they're worth the 'premium' over other manufacturers. Mrs Ridges 5yr old VW has had numerous niggling faults with radio, heater fan, folding rear seats and rotting exhaust. Plus it once played dead for a couple of hours for no apparent reason. My Kia of the same age has been mercilessly abused and has only had one problem with a clogged diesel filter last year, which was fixed free under warranty.

In reply to Tim Chappell:

Not really that reliable:

http://www.reliabilityindex.com/top-100

not in the top 100!

Chris

In reply to Tim Chappell:

Still loving my Seat Ibiza.
Like a Polo but cheaper, a bit like a Leon/Fabia is a Golf but cheaper!

In reply to Tim Chappell:

Yes, no and goodness knows why.


Ahem.


Not if the driver isn't.


Some have too much poke for something with the engine hanging forward of the front axle.


Yep.


Ditto.


OK. Get a BMW.

In reply to Tim Chappell:

More reliable - go Japanese, VW marketing were fantastic in making people believe a solid 'clunk' when you close a door means reliability, it doesn't.

Cheap to fix - go Ford

Good in the snow - put winter tyres on anything, Golfs have no special powers there.

Plenty of poke - no more than any other family hatch.

Bikes, skis, no idea.

Recently VW have been good at the inside with nice soft plastics etc and that's where you'll spend most of your time so if there's one near you at a good price then go for it, but other than that they're nothing special to drive and no better than the other mainstream family hatches.

In reply to Tim Chappell:

Seat exeo. Much cheaper than a vw. Last gen a4 chasis. Now gen diesel engines. Fits skis etc inside. May even have a ski hole...

In reply to Tim Chappell:
I have had a 10 year old Golf IV 1.9 TDI with 100k on it for the last year.


Mine has been very reliable.


In my experience, no they aren't, but that's in Germany.


Not in my experience. That's probably my biggest annoyance. The handling is not that good - it's great on a motorway and had plenty of poke, but in snow, I'd much rather our 15 year old corsa. I'm looking forward to seeing how it is with new winter tyres on this year, but with old(ish) winter tyre last year it was pants.


Engine dependant I guess, I do like mine in this regard


True


True but not with walloping big amounts of space left over. There's not much space in the back seats though, if you've 4 kids.

In reply to Tim Chappell:

My girlfriend has a mk4 golf gti at 130k its going strong. They are good cars and even as a petrol turbo it can get 40mpg on a run. Not a big fan on the vw scene really bit overrated imo.

Just to throw a curve ball, I always go for japanese sports cars and they are very reliable. Mid life crisis go for a 2 seater!

Mr2 turbo if you are feeling adventurous or a good ol mx5 like I have now. Pretty much bullet proof. Mines at 155k! As I said, a curve ball on the topic. Golf gti is good alrounder though if you are set on a golf.